My Favourite Dream

18. Are you Parineet?

"Is Taran home?" This is the first thing Ms Neeta Ahuja heard after opening the door. She was interrupted between her binge watching session by the door bell at that time of hour. Though, opening the door, when she was sitting on the sofa, was not a tough task for her, specially when she's a brave heart woman. Unlike others, she never fears being alone at the house. She remains alone at home, for long times since Taran has his share of night shifts at the hospital.

"Yes. Who are you?" She acknowledged the girl standing in front of her curiously. In a glamorous dress, a little loud makeup, the girl still managed to look decent and soft. But instead of answering her, the girl straight away entered inside the house and walked up to the stairs.
Is she hypnotized? Taran's mom said aloud to herself though she was happy that finally a girl visited their house. This was definitely a happy news for a mother like her who wants her child to mingle.

"Atleast tell me.." she breathed and continued "Are you Parineet?" She asked a dotting Parineet who was climbing the stairs in dazed state. Her only aim was to find Taran.

"Yes." She voiced.

"Einnnnnnnn" Taran's mom squealed in excitement as she threw herself on the baggy couch in happiness. She was delighted to see Pari at her house, walking like she owns that place, and for what? For her son. This was a dream come true.

"Why are you screaming mom?" Taran yawned as he opened the door, only to get stunned by Parineet's presence in front of his room. His eyes opened wide with sheer surprise on seeing her. He ran his left hand over his face and asked "Parineet what happened?" she was sobbing.

"Neeti is home." She sobbed again and this time rested her face on his chest. She gripped his torso in her small open arms, clutched her tee shirt in fists. While Taran grew horrified at the mention of Neeti's name. At two thirty am, in the morning, he wasn't expecting a news like that. On the top of that, witnessing Parineet in such a state, broke Taran's heart into million pieces. Her moist eyes, smudged mascara and fearful body language didn't go well with Taran.

"Neeti is what?" He ran his hand in her primped hairs, softly as ever.

"She has come home." Pari cried, her voice coming out muffled.

"Unbelievable. I mean I didn't expect this. Is Rajeev also with her?" Taran stuttered in his speech. He, in his mind always knew this would happen but not so suddenly. He felt bad for Pari.

"She has come alone. She is broken Taran." Taran was getting shockers after shockers. Unhealthy amount of questions rose in his mind, he was truly scared about the consequences.

"What happened? Does she know -" He mustered up some courage and asked when Pari looked up at him, and nodded like a child in negative, her hands still clutching on her turquoise tee shirt tightly.
"She knows nothing about me but the fact that Rajeev cheated on her." She added.

"Oh my goodness!" Though he has never met Neeti and didn't know what kind of a person she is but he still was able to feel for her. No woman deserves the things which were happening with her. "Firstly you stop crying. Shh!" Taran said holding Parineet in his arms and wiping the tears. "Everything will be alright. Just stop crying. Pari! Pari! Look at me." Parineet looked up at him on his insistence but her tears didn't stop. She heaved and cried again.
"Everything is gonna be fine. Shh!" Taran rubbed her back and put his chin over her head. She was looking more small in front of his large body frame.
Parineet told him the series of events that happened after she left the party.

"Pari. Pari." Neeti cried out as soon as Parineet entered into her living room. Her eyes were almost out of her sockets when she found Vicky and Neeti sitting on the couch. Neeti looked as if she gained some weight, ofcourse she is pregnant. Vicky was consoling her and Neeti was crying when she entered. On seeing her best friend, Neeti hugged her tightly. Parineet exchanged a look at Vicky who eyed her as if he was hurt. It was a "I told you so" look. Yes. Her brother always said this to her, that it was a risk to leave Neeti behind with a man like Rajeev.